Other commitments include a promise to switch to “all out elections” every four years, to work for a direct rail link from Reading to Heathrow, to increase funding for tree planting, to implement a major bike-hire scheme and to provide more primary and secondary school places across the borough.

The document also contains highlights from the year when the Conservatives led the council in coalition with the Lib Dems, including:

- Increasing funding given to the voluntary and community sector.

- Stopping the funding of trade union officials from council tax.

- New grants to the Gurkha community and to the African Caribbean community in order to reopen the Central Club.

- Freezing of town centre short-term car park charges and freezing all parking charges in Caversham and Tilehurst.

- Doubling of cycle parking in the town centre, and the doubling of apprenticeships and foster carers.

Councillor Tim Harris, who leads the Conservative group, said: “This is an exciting and radical manifesto building on our successful year in control of Reading.

“We pressed for the freeze in council tax delivered this year but fear what Labour plans to do next year when there are no local elections. Only the Conservatives are pledged to deliver another freeze in council tax next year.”

Deputy leader Cllr Jeanette Skeats added: “We were the first administration to deliver a council tax freeze and demonstrated that we could work with another party in the interests of Reading people.

“We began cutting out Labour’s waste and re-prioritising council support to a wider range of voluntary and community groups.